Выжившая после рака Бриттни Макклейви представит Луизиану на национальном конкурсе красоты

Mrs. Louisiana American heads to national pageant nearly 20 years after cancer diagnosis Cancer survivor turned lung cancer advocate to compete in Las Vegas in September ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - Brittany McKelvey, a military spouse, mother, and cancer advocate, is preparing to compete at her first national pageant as Mrs. Louisiana American — a milestone she said carries personal weight nearly two decades after her cancer diagnosis. “I am coming up on my 20-year Cancerversary, so 20 years next year from when I heard those words, you have cancer,” McKelvey said. “Really, at that point, I didn’t know if I would see my high school graduation, let alone be in the position I am now.” McKelvey now works for LUNGevity Foundation, a national lung cancer nonprofit that focuses on improving the lives of those impacted by lung cancer. Her advocacy is also rooted in her own medical history. Following thyroid cancer surgery, doctors told McKelvey she may never speak normally again. “It was actually after my first surgery to remove my thyroid and the cancer that they were unable to salvage the nerve feeding my vocal cord,” McKelvey said. “I’ve since had two surgeries that put an implant in that allow me to be able to speak. And so to be able to use this voice that I now have to be able to share my story, to share the importance of just using your voice to make a difference.” McKelvey is set to compete at the Mrs. American pageant in Las Vegas in September. She said Louisiana holds a distinct place for her family. “In our seven years of marriage, we’ve lived in three states being a military family,” McKelvey said. “But Louisiana felt so different when we moved here. Just the warmth and the community that we felt. I absolutely cannot imagine representing another state on this stage.” She said the Mrs. America organization celebrates married women — their strength, maturity, and service — and she views the competition as another opportunity to use her cancer journey as a platform for change. Click here to report a typo. Please provide the title of the article in your email. Copyright 2026 KALB. All rights reserved.